Barrel-locking mechanism.



No. 643,60l. Patented Feb. l3, I900. F. A. HOLLENBECK.

BARREL LOCKING MECHANISM.

(AppLication filed June 1, 1899.)

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-srnernrcnrrou forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,601, dated February is, 1900. Application filed June 1, 1899- Serial N- 718,999. (No model.)

in Breech-Loading Breakdown Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking mechanism for breech-loading breakdown guns.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of improved construction for lock ing the barrels to the breech-frame and which is so constructed that the locking-bolt cannot be thrown to the locked position until after the barrels have first been put in their normal position ready for locking.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side 'view of a gun broken and showing the breechframe in sect-ion. Fig. 2 is a top view of the rear end of the gun-barrels, locking-bolt, and spring, the slotted lug on the barrels being in section. Fig. 3 shows the several parts disconnected,comprising the locking-bolt and lever. Fig. 4 is a top view of the bolt. Fig. 5 is a view, on a larger scale, of the stop-motion device. Fig. 6 shows two views of a modification in the manner of applying the spring to the locking-lug.

The letter A designates the breech-frame, B the barrels, and c the joint uniting them. The hammers and their operating mechanism are omitted from the drawings. The rear end of the barrels is provided with an extended lug (1, having a bolt-hole 0. An oscillatory locking-bolt comprises a disk-shaped head F, which in turning is supported by two grooves or inclined bearing-surfaces g,one at each side, which relieves the pivot-bolt j of considerable strain during the operation of firing. circumferential rim edge of the locking-bolt, which engages the hole e in the gun-barrel lug, is rounded to fit snugly into said hole. This looking-bolt has a central hole 7:, that is square or approximately square, and also has an L-shaped slot 2', one part of which opens at the rim, this part having a radial position, and the two parts of the L forming a bolt end f, which engages the hole 6 in the lug on the barrels and locks them. A pivot-bolt j is carried by the breech-frame and has a tilted or inclined position with respect to the gunbarrels when the latter are in the locked po- The sition, and said pivot-bolt is operated by the usual lever G. This pivot bolt fits snugly and turns in a hole in the top plate of the breech-frame. The pivot-bolt (see Fig. 3) has three sectionsfirst, the upper rounded section j, which acts as the pivot; second, the flat or approximately square center h,whereon the central hole h of the bolt-head takes, and, third, the lower rounded section 70, which is smaller than the upper and which terminates in a screw end 70. It will be seen that the looking-bolt F takes on the squared second section 71 of the pivot-bolt, and as the latter has an inclined position so also has the looking-bolt F. The edge of the oscillatory locking-bolt which is adjacent the end of the gun-barrels is the higher side and inclines downward therefrom toward the gunstock. Vhen the lever G is shifted one way or the other, the bolt-head will oscillate and the bolt end fwill engage or disengage the hole e in the barrel-lug and draw the barrels down and at the same time back into the mortised-out portion of the breech-frame A, and thereby firmly secure the same in position against the thrust caused by the explosion of the charge.

A short stop-arm l is attached to a sleeve Z, that fits snugly on the third or lower section 7.: of the pivot-bolt. This sleeve has two lugs m, one diametrically opposite the other, and these take on the flat sides of the squared second section h of the pivot-bolt, which holds it from turning loose thereon, and also bear up against the under side of the bolthead F. A nut 11 on the screw end 70 secures these parts together.

The stop-motion device serves to prevent the locking-bolt F from being thrown to the locked position when the barrels are broken or tilted down. This is important, as should the lever G and bolt F be accidentally turned to the locked position while the gun is in the broken condition it would then be impossible to restore the barrels to the locked position, and this would cause delay to the sportsman. My invention therefore has for its object to provide means that will keep the locking-bolt in the unlocked position whenever the gun is in the broken condition. This I have termed a stop-motion device. The stop-arm Z has already been described. It swings with the locking-bolt and the lever G, but serves no other purpose than to prevent the lockingbolt F from turning to the locked position when the barrels are in the broken position. A vertically-sliding orendwise-sliding post 0 fits snugly in a bored passage in the breechframe. This post has a reduced neck or a groove 1) around it. The post is carried on the end of a spring-arm q, the other end of which is secured to the breech-frame by a screw '1'. The top end of the post is directly in the path of the extended lug (lon the bar rels. Consequently when the barrels are closed to the locked position said lug will press on the post 0 and slide it down, the spring-arm q yielding. \Vhen the post is thus pushed down, its reduced neck or groove 1) assumes position coincident with the end of the stop-arm l, and the latter may then swing as it does when lever G is moved. The short stop-arm therefore has its end freely occupying the reduced neck or groove 19 when the gun parts are locked. Thus the stop-motion device in the present instance comprises the arm l, the post 0, and the spring-arm q.

\Vhen the gun is broken, the spring-arm q raises the post 0, and then the stop-arm Z cannot swing because it contacts with the post below the reduced neck or groovep, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Thus the short arm acts as a stop-arm to prevent the locking-bolt from swinging when the gun is broken.

A spring .9 is employed to act on the oscillatory bolt-head F and normally press it to the locked position. When the gun is broken, this spring is under tension. It is immaterial how this spring is applied.

In Fig. 1 it is shown extended parallel with the length of the breech-frame, but in Fig. 6 it is shown at .5 extended crosswise ot the breech-frame. In either case the free end of the spring has suitable connection with the oscillatory head. In Fig. 1 this connection is by a slot 15 in the rim of the head F. In Fig. (i it is by-a slot on the under side of the head. In Fig. 1 the spring is stayed by a small side lug u. on the spring entered into the breechframe. In Fig. 6 the bent end of the spring is seated in a suitable socket 0.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a breech-loading breakdown gun the combination of a lug projecting beyond the end of the gun-barrels; an inclined pivotbolt; aswinging locking-bolt carried by said pivot-bolt and having an inclined position with respect to and engaging the gun-barrels when the latter are locked; an inclined bearing-surtace at each side of said locking-bolt which supports the latter when turning and relieves the pivot-bolt of strain during the firing operation; and means to prevent the said locking-bolt from turning when the barrels are in the broken position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. HOLLENBECK.

\Vit-n esses:

CHARLES B. MANN, J r., GEO. KOETHER. 

